When I see a photo of my precious little granddaughter, Lily, innocently, and with full heart, exploring her world, my heart melts. I long for her to feel the freedom to imagine, to play, to wonder. about her worlds, free of the darkness. and stupidity of what is rolling around in the news and in a broken world. She can only grow strong inside if she is able to establish her foundations on that which is beautiful and sure. I want to protect her from all that is draining, dark, false, so that she can have an opportunity to lay foundations of love, goodness, true ideas and thought. I want to protect her from the dark world until she has had time to grow roots, or to find footing in what is true. I am one of her guardians, along with Sarah and Thomas, and the rest of our family, to watch over her heart, mind and soul.
Have you ever been accused of being "overprotective?" I often wonder what exactly people would prefer us to do; to "under-protect," perhaps? And of course, whatever is less than what they personally do would be underprotective and whatever goes beyond what they're comfortable with would be overprotective.
"Parents are often criticized for being overprotective of their children, an apparently bad thing to do in the world's way of thinking. That caricature, though, originates in a culture of passive parental neglect that is almost dysfunctionally underprotective of its children. Even though it is a pejorative term in secular parenting lingo, you should not be reluctant to bear it as a badge of honor as a caring and committed Christian parent. God wants you to be an overprotective parent! Your children, by God's design, need an overprotector, a parent who will stand over them to protect them--to guard their innocence and purity, to prevent spiritual wounds and sinful footholds, and teach discernment and sensitivity to sin. In God's design for families, overprotecting your children is a good thing.
Still, the enemy is very good at infiltrating even good Christian homes with corrupting influences ... With technologies such as cable and satellite TV, computers and the Internet, a constant river of information, images, and ideas can flow freely into your home, much of it good, but too much of it ungodly and corrupt. You can control that flow, but when your children interact in the community with other children, those children all too often are deeply influenced, informed and indoctrinated by the same river--often without controls on its flow of the worst that culture has to offer--and they will offer it freely to your children. The only thing that is standing between those and other influences, and your child's heart and mind, is a committed overprotector--you! If you don't have a heart that beats strongly with a passion to protect your children against unhealthy appetites, unwise relationships, and ungodly secular media, you can be certain that the enemy stands ready to take full advantage of any holes in your commitment and to exploit your children's innocence, vulnerability, and receptiveness. Diligence is the price you pay for staying safe on the path."
~ Clay Clarkson, Educating the Wholehearted Child
Protecting our children is such an important thing to consider as we live well with them for the time they are under our complete care. While many push parents to give their children more autonomy early in life, which seems to somehow apply mostly to online environments and media choices these days, ultimately, it is important to remember that our children are just that--children. They are in need of protection, which is why God gave them to parents who are charged to guard and protect them until such time as they can stand on their own. Even then, we are to speak words of life and wisdom to them, encouraging them to follow God's precepts and listen for His voice of direction.
I'm grateful for my own Shepherd, who watches over and protects me, guiding me with His staff, leading me beside still waters and making me lie down in green pastures. How wonderful that He has given me this image and example to follow as I care for and nurture my own children. And if that's being overprotective ... I'll take it!
Are you often accused of being an overprotective parent? What’s a way you could respond to that accusation with grace and truth?
